November 4, 2018

House Project Phase 2: Pantry Roof

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Phase 1 was installing the siding on the back gable end of the house. Phase 2 was dealing with the leak in the roof.

Photo from last spring, when we first discovered the leak.

Down came the gutter and old fascia board. With the fascia board gone Dan could see that the ends of the rafters were in bad shape. To assess the extent of the damage he cut away a section of the roof.

You can see why the roof was sagging in the first photo.

This happened because the builder didn't extend the edge of the roof out far enough. That meant rain water could leak behind and underneath.

Fortunately they were only rotted at the ends. He didn't have to replace them entirely (which would have meant tearing up the entire roof). He just needed to sister in new ends.



Then he put back the section of roof he removed, and a new fascia board was added.


Then it was on to the roof itself. The leak was caused by the way the roofer installed the shingles. An asphalt shingle has a series of flaps with cutouts separating the flaps.

Asphalt shingle

The first row is started at the edge of the roof, and they are nailed in place above the cutouts. The next row goes on top and is supposed to cover the nails.

Properly installed asphalt shingles.

Whoever installed our pantry roof left nails exposed through the cutouts.

The most logical fix was to cover the entire roof. For that we chose metal panels. Dan considered a number of ways to do this job, but finally decided that simplest was best. And quickest!


You can also get a glimpse of Dan's solution
to that odd angle on the roof - he boxed it out.

These are the same metal roofing panels we put on the barn, but the pantry roof is steeper, so Dan had trouble walking on them. No traction. To put on the ridge cap he used a rubber-backed runner rug to keep from slipping and sliding. It worked very well.


Also a "boot" for the bathroom vent pipe.


The next day we got two inches of rain. The roof was secure and snug.


The last step will be painting the fascia and siding, and then putting the gutters back up. Happily, the forecast calls for sunny, mild temps over the week or so to get that done.

18 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

Good job!

Kev Alviti said...

Used to do barns with my dad. We always tried to get people to go for a 12.5 degree pitch rather than 15 degree, as you could walk up the first one in trainers but not the second! Tin sheeting has so many advantages. Wish planning control would let us use it more on domestic properties round here.

Lady Locust said...

Looking good! And it will be nice not to have it raining inside 😉

Nancy In Boise said...

Looks great and sad for sloppy workmanship in the 1st place :( Whoever installed our roof also covered the side roof vents with tar paper. We burned thru 2 attic fans until hubby figured it out! Ripped it off, installed updated cedar vents, and much cooler in the summer, saves $ and new fan still working. Just shoddy work.

Ed said...

Nothing like doing a roofing job to bring on the pressure. If I had a dollar for every bad roofing job I've witnessed, I would be a bit richer for sure.

Leigh said...

Gorges, thanks! We're happy with it!

Kev, you're saying you aren't allowed to use metal roofing on homes? I wonder what the rationale for that is! They make such a nice roof. I only wish our entire roof was metal.

Lady Locust, thanks! It's always a great feeling to have to roof snug and secure!

Nancy, oh my. That sounds completely unprofessional! We have a few horror stories about our shingle roofer too. Our neighbor had a ridge vent put in only to later discover it didn't work. When he called the roofer, they said, "oh, we didn't know you wanted it to work." !!!

Ed, and apparently the same guy did our car port, which explains why it has so much structural damage under the roof!

J.L. Murphey said...

I figured the rot was extensive seeing the waves in the roof. Good thing the rot didn'y extend too far. What a job!

MountainMama said...

Isn't it great to get projects done around the house??? I love a metal roof, I'd be standing in the pantry on a rainy day just to hear that sound!

Toirdhealbheach Beucail said...

That Dan is a handy fellow!!

I would love a metal roof - saves on insurance down here - but sadly, probably beyond our pricing and my interest as I doubt this is our final home.

Leigh said...

Jo, yes, it was quite a relief to see it wasn't as bad as it could have been!

MountainMama, it's wonderful to get house projects like that done. Especially before the winter rains hit!

TB, he is! It's high, especially if you have to hire someone to do it all. There are some DIY wholesalers, but for a roof with hips it would be challenging!

M.K. said...

Looks fabulous, Leigh! Your hubby is quite handy.

wyomingheart said...

Wow Leigh, there was really some bad wood on that roof. Great job at patching in that new wood! I really love the look of metal! Just in time for the turning weather! We have always saved so much money by doing repairs ourselves, just as y' all do. Awesome job well done!

Leigh said...

Thanks M.K.!

Wyomingheart, I was just thankful it was only the ends of the rafters that were so bad! What a job it would have been to rebuild the roof!

Sam I Am...... said...

You guys are so 'handy' and you make a great team. Even though I probably won't do these things, I sure enjoy learning about them!

Chris said...

You make it look so easy, but I know in practical terms, it took quite a bit of research and organising to finally decide what to do. I agree - simple is best! The metal roofing looks much more sturdy, and uniform.

Leigh said...

Sam, if it wasn't for Dan I wouldn't do them either! I garden and cook and he does the rest. :)

Chris, considering what usually happens when we tear into this house, it was easy! We were really expecting the damage to be worse. So relieved it wasn't!

Powell River Books said...

A metal roof is always a good choice. I would guess that leaving the old shingles as an under roof that it also gives you more insulation for both hot and cold weather. - Margy

Leigh said...

Margy, it certainly made it easier to install the metal roofing panels. And it does insulate well. So well, that we can't even here the lovely sound of rain on a metal roof. (Have to go to the barn for that :)